Netflix Instant Watch for Gamers

All your videogame systems offer Netflix, but what movies does Netflix have to offer for the gaming audience?

by Alex Keen Jun 10th, 2011

Hey there, I’m Alex and I usually hang out in Crave Online’s cozy gaming section. Don’t worry, I’m not here to try to convince you to come play some newfangled PlayBox 360 or Nintendo 3DStation Portable. Like you, I love movies. In fact, I frickin’ love movies. With that in mind, I compiled my list of great movies for gamers. All of these movies are currently available on Netflix Instant Watch; so, if you’re a Netflix member you can watch these movies for free on your PC or on your gaming console.

Please keep in mind that this is not a list of great movies based on video games. If that were the case, my list would be incredibly short. Have you seen Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li? That’s what I thought. Without further ado, here’s Part 1 of my list:

1. ENTER THE DRAGON

First up is a movie I consider to be the greatest martial arts film of all time. Considered to be Bruce Lee’s final film, Enter the Dragon is a glorious mix of 70’s style and retro martial arts poetry. Under Lee’s guidance, Enter the Dragon transcended the genre that existed and still outshines all new martial arts movie. Whether it’s Bruce kicking the living crap out of 15 no-name cannon fodder or Jim Kelly’s epic Afro, Enter the Dragon remains one of the coolest movies of all time. This is the perfect movie for the fighting fan in your household.

2. DAYS OF THUNDER

This flick gets a bad rap for several reasons. The first is that it's about stock car racing. The second is that it stars Tom Cruise. And the third reason, well, that’s because it's a stock car movie starring Tom Cruise of all people. Despite these elements, for a gamer really into racing games, Days of Thunder has a ton of cool racing action to enjoy. Because Days of Thunder is a bit older there’s not an abundance of unnecessary CGI to ruin the feeling. Also, if you’re okay with a bit of melodrama, the actual story isn’t half bad. Throw in some solid character work from Robert Duvall and Michael Rooker and Days of Thunder is a great guilty pleasure.

3. THE GUILD

Taking a tangent from movies, I highly recommend that you check out the web series, The Guild. This short-burst series features a guild of online gamers working together online while falling apart offline. You can blow through a season in one quick sitting and wrap up the entire series in just a couple of days. Felicia Day, the creator and star of The Guild, is adorable and quirky funny in this series. This is the closest we’ll ever get to seeing an honest show about hardcore normal World of Warcraft gamers. Even if you’re not an MMO fan, The Guild is a great series to try out.

4. SESSION 9

Session 9 is perfect for the gamer who loves to get scared. Shot in a real-life abandoned mental hospital, this movie is authentic to its core. Because of Session 9 was released as an indie a lot of moviegoers missed out on this gem when it was initially released. I won’t spoil the story; however, I will share that it completely changed how I view lobotomies. If you are a gamer who loves Silent Hill or the F.E.A.R. series, Session 9 is a perfect fit.

5. HALO LEGENDS

Finally, the lone movie on this list that is based on an actual video game is Halo Legends. This film is actually a collection of short films that take place in the Halo universe. The shorts were shot by top notch anime studios and their goal was to look at Halo through a much different set of eyes. This film really broadened my perspective on the Halo franchise and I wish other series could have companion pieces similar to Halo Legends. This film adds a certain artistic quality that builds on the games without destroying the mythology that is central to the series.

I hope you enjoyed the first part of this list. If you have your own recommendations to add to this list, feel free to drop me a tweet @dbldn on Twitter. Thanks!